My Blog = My Life: life

I'd like to blame it on the winter weather, but I know better. A bad case of the Grouchies seems to be ruling our home lately. It has nothing to do with being snowed in, and everything to do with the sin that lives in the hearts of our children, just as it does in mine.

The last few weeks have been particularly trying. Boredom and sickness make a good breeding ground for poor manners, foolishness, and bad attitudes. It was time to recommit to some serious character building, beginning with myself.

My friend Caroline and her husband Sean created the Character Badges program around the same time as my resolve, and I was eager to give it a try.

Previously, I've shied away from using character building programs because we want to teach our children good character without making them believe that their "righteousness" can earn something. When they fail in their attempts to "be good" and cry, "But Mommy, I can't be good!", we need to point them to the Cross and say, "I know, honey. Mommy can't be good either and that's why we both need Jesus!"

Here's how the system works.

The Character Badges program comes with three charts (the Obedience Chart, Disobedience Chart, and Consequence Chart), flashcards that reinforce biblical characteristics with a Scripture verse and a simple illustration, and a series of badges to be rewarded for good behavior.

The Obedience Chart lists several good character qualities (and leaves a few blanks so you can fill in particular areas of concern), along with a row of check boxes to mark off when you notice your child exhibiting good behavior.

Throughout the month, you can reinforce positive behavior by allowing your child to mark off a check box when you notice they have done something kind, worked hard, told the truth, or were quick to obey. Our children are not allowed to fill in or ask to fill in their own check boxes and can only do so when we pick up on something and give them permission.

Once any one of their rows have been filled, they get rewarded with badge to wear for the day. The Character Badge creators suggest accompanying the badge with a special prize, outing, or gift to help keep your child motivated.

Also included are Disobedience and Consequence charts. They are similar to the Obedience Chart in that a check box is meant to be marked off when you pick up on poor behavior (i.e. lying, laziness, hurting others, etc.).

The first day we put the program to use was interesting. The badges were a great incentive to good behavior, and my favorite moment is when our daughter announced, "You know what? It's actually more fun when we're being nice to each other!" Imagine that.

Then the first infraction happened. Instead of disciplining like I normally do, I decided to utilize the Disobedience Chart. One offence led to another and the idea of having to mark down her sin completely stressed out our child-in-training.

I realized that she didn't need a long list of offences hanging over her head. She needed to know that when we confess our sin, God is faithful and just to forgive it, and purify us from all unrighteousness. He removes our transgressions as far as the east is from the west, and we too should keep no record of wrongs. (1 John 1:9; Psalm 103:12; 1 Corinthians 13:5).

It's in the garden, amid the blooms and thistles, the soil and the stony ground, the dead seeds and lush vegetation where the story of sin and forgiveness, the Fall and Redemption, and life as one who has been engrafted into Christ can be told with real-life illustrations like no other. How fascinating it is that the place our children love to play is the same ground that can be used for discipling their eternal souls!

"Do you see that clematis? That's such a pretty vine! Jesus said that He was the True Vine. Everyone who loves Jesus has to bear fruit just like those purple flowers. Otherwise the Lord will cut off the dead branches like Mommy does so the rest can grow better."

I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. John 15:1-2

"These flowers are called a peonies. Sometimes flowers like to grow in fields of grass where the horses are, even though they'll get cut down when the farmer makes hay. If God even cares about clothing a field of grass with pretty flowers, then we certainly don't have to worry about where we will get our clothes because He cares for us even more!"
Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Matthew 6:30

"This pot is made out of clay. The person who made it is called a potter. The Bible says that God is the Potter and we are His clay. He made us and can do with us whatever He wants to do. That should make us very happy because God's plan for His people is perfect - much better than any sort of plan we could think of."

But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand. Isaiah 64:8

"These pumpkin seeds are dead. They won't grow if we leave them on the driveway. But if we put them in the garden where the soil is really healthy, they will begin to grow and produce beautiful orange pumpkins! Our hearts have to be like the soil in the garden, ready to receive God's Word with joy and produce fruit. If are hearts are stony like the driveway, than we will fall away from the Lord when temptation comes."

But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Matthew 13: 20, 21, 23

"What kind of plant is this? That's right, a tomato plant! How did you know? Because it has tomatoes! Jesus says of His people that by their fruits we will know them. The best way to tell if someone loves the Lord is if they want to do the things that please Him."

Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. Matthew 7:16, 17

"When we're sick, we don't need to buy our medicine from the store. God tells us that the fruit from the plants He made are for food and the leaves are for medicine!"

And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine Ezekiel 47:12

The parallels here only scratch the surface. So much more could be said about Creation, the sin that enter the world by disobedience in Paradise, and what it means to be engrafted into Christ. Next time you're out pulling weeds, pause for a second and whisper these truths in to the eternal souls of your dirt-covered, sun kissed, wee ones.

Hi peeps!! Just a few things to share this week because of my shopping extravaganza last week *winks*
I'll start as usual with my favorite find. It's a vintage HUGE rose covered fully lined curtain that I found at a local antique mall for $60! This one curtain is 8' tall and 15' long! I couldn't get the entire thing in a shot because it was just too big for my poor camera. It could easily be cut apart to make several individual curtains, which is what I'm hoping to do. Love the green color and all the roses!! Isn't it gorgy??*sighs*

Close up.

Then I found this Italian shadow box jewelry display case on craigslist for $15. Inside I have one new/old treasure and the other three are older finds but I haven't shared them here so I thought I'd take the opportunity now *winks*

The newest find is this cigarette case with a portrait of a woman. $12 at a local antique store. I will definitely be looking to collect more of these.

My next find is from a few years back. I paid $125 (which was actually half price) It's a micro petit point purse featuring a courting couple adorned with some stones and enamel flowers.

The back features a castle and swags with pink roses.

Lined with the palest pink ruched silk that is starting to tear and fray.

Next is this little silver mesh purse/compact that I purchased from an elderly neighbor for $15.

I would love it if these little blue stones were sapphires! *winks* But most likely pretty glass.

And finally this little beaded purse/compact was $10.

I found a new addition to my silver collection at the Goodwill. This silver glass caddy was on one isle for $1.99 and the dessert wine glasses were 50 cents each on another. So all told $4.99... Not bad I think!

And then I did discover something NEW to me... Maybe new to you also?
Let me start by saying I've been in love with antiques for most of my life and in all that time I've never known about this...
The Odd Fellows!
Who and what are they? Weeellll... here's a little vid about them

The Odd Fellows (it turns out) are the Father of all fraternal organizations. Formed in England in the 18th century. I discovered them when I was trying to find information about these antique red velvet collars that I'd found on craigslist. A set of four of them for $12. Sooo ornate and beautiful with their silver appliques, fringe and tassels. I thought originally they might have been priests vestments of some sort? But was quickly made aware that they were something else. I took a look on ebay and couldn't believe how cheaply these items were selling! Some at 99 cents plus shipping, and some of the beautiful velvet ceremonial robes were little more than $20. Also some beautiful ornate medals for a song! I couldn't help but think of all the custom bag/purse and pillow makers who could use these old pieces in their designs. Am I the last one to know about these? Let me know! I feel I've discovered textile nirvana! Lol! *winks*

Each less than the cost of a latte!

And last (and definitely least) some vintage aqua lace trim from the Value Village for $1.99 and an egg vase for my etsy.

That's it for the flea market finds this week. I hope you'll come back next week for more thrifting fun! And please leave me a comment and I'll do the same for you *winks* I'd LOVE to hear from you! Vanna

I'm joining Cindy at My Romantic Home for:

And Jill at The French Cupboard for:

The Round-up:

• Food - 3.5 out of 5
• Service - 3.5 out of 5
• Atmosphere - 3 out of 5
• Overall - 10 out of 15

It's slightly gutsy to open a restaurant on a semi-abandoned block in downtown Regina that has seen its share of restaurants come and go over the years.

But entrepreneur Astrid Baecker did exactly that two years ago when renovations at 1822 Broad Street got underway. After sitting empty for a few years, the building was looking in pretty rough shape when things got started. Within a few months Baecker and her team added plenty of shine.

What's now known as Bitten used to be home to Gingerz. Before that it was a satellite location of India House for a matter of months. And wayyy before that it was New Orleans. And that's all the history I know of the place.

The room itself, long and narrow with a balcony looking over the main floor, is an awkward shape for a restaurant. That being said, Bitten has made things work by modernizing the colour scheme and placing high-top tables with bar stools on the main floor that can be easily moved around to accommodate groups of all sizes.

The second floor balcony is cozy and closer to the bar. If drinking is your main reason for visiting Bitten, sit upstairs.

The menu has grown over the last two years. It's now several pages long and covers a surprisingly wide range of cuisines. If you want Asian, Bitten does that. If you want Italian, Bitten does that. If you want Cajun, they do that too. While the variety is nice, the menu lacks focus overall. Some of the appetizers, like the stuffed mushroom caps, seem like a throwback to the '80s.

On the other hand, appetizers come in very generous portions. Some might even find them large enough to be a meal. They definitely make for good sharing in a group.

As for the rest of the food, it's generally good. Some entrees, like a Surf and Turf I had around Valentine's Day in 2009, lacked flavour. However, the pizzas and salads are filling, tasty, and priced just right.

I've been to Bitten five or six times in the last two years and the service has always been good, no matter the server. Service isn't always lighting fast, but it's attentive. And Bitten isn't really the type of place you go for a speedy meal.

I can't finish this review without talking about dessert. Bitten's motto, after all, is "Life is Short... Have Dessert First."

The menu features a whole page of desserts to choose from, all of them made in-house. Bitten does a good job of classics like the Creme Brulee and Creme Caramel. The Mascarpone Toffee Parcels were delish when I tried them a few months back. I haven't had Bitten's version of Sticky Toffee Pudding just yet, but that's next on my list.

My advice: check Bitten out if you haven't been, or if it's been awhile. It's worth supporting a local eatery that's breathing life into our downtown core.

Well, I'm outta here for the next three weeks while Noah and I travel on a very overdue vacation! While I'll still have daily posts going on Single Dad Laughing during that time, I'll won't be posting to Will Work 4 Followers until after we return.


Until now, most of what we've covered here on WW4F has been foundational and blogging constructive. We've been working on the look of our blogs, the setup, feel, functionality and more. While I'll still be uploading many posts that are instructional and foundational from here on out, I'd like to start moving WW4F to what it was originally intended for... real discussion about blogging life, growing blogs, etc. So, here's your big chance to let me know what you'd like me to write about in the future here at WW4F. If you'd like to be as awesome as I know you are, take a sec, and answer the following three questions in the comments section of this post:
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... continued from yesterday. Read Part 1 here.
Currently, we're teaching our 2-year-old to memorize the Proverbs. Proverbs for Parenting | A Topical Guide for Child Raising From The Book of Proverbs compiled by Barbara Decker has proved to be a handy tool as each of the proverbs are organized into their respective categories.

If Charity is having a particularly difficult week with anger and temper-tantrums, we can flip to the anger section and choose a few verses from there to work on. If she's habitually stalling when we ask her to do something, we'll turn to the chapter on obedience. If she's having a hard time finding something nice to say to her brother, we'll memorize a verse on kindness.

There's nothing difficult or scientific about our method for memorization. For the most part, it's a simple process of "repeat after me." This past week, we memorized Proverbs 16:6: "By mercy and truth, iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the Lord, men depart from evil."
1. First, I'll read the verse through and explain any words she might not understand: iniquity, purged, depart.
2. Then I'll say the first phrase and ask her to repeat it back to me. I do this several times over with each section of the verse. That way, it gets ingrained in my memory as well as hers!
Mommy: "By mercy and truth... "
Charity: "By mercy and truth... "
Mommy: "Iniquity is purged... "
Charity: "Iniquity is purged... "
3. Once I think she's familiar with the phrases, we start combining them, two at a time:
Mommy: "By mercy and truth, iniquity is purged... "
Charity: "By mercy and truth, iniquity is purged... "
Mommy: "..and by the fear of the Lord, men depart from evil."
Charity: "... and by the fear of the Lord, men depart from evil."
4. Next, I leave out key words, and give her the opportunity to fill them in:
"By ________ and _______, _________ is ________: and _____ the _________ of the _______, men __________ from ______. Proverbs ____ : ____."
5. Once she's done the above a few time, we're down to just a few prompts until she can say it on her own:
"By _____________, iniqu... _______________; and ________________, men ____________________. _________ ___ : ___."
The whole process takes less than 15 minutes. I'll randomly review the verse with her several times throughout each day of the week until she can rattle it off and we move onto the next one. A few other things we've found helpful to aid in Scripture memorization are:

• Music. We sing a Psalm from our Church's Psalter with her before bed time. It's so fun when she picks it up and is able to sing along with us or recognizes it in a Church service!
• Regular Review. We try not to forget about a verse once we've moved on to a new one. To keep it fresh in her memory, we'll say the first word of a verse she knows when we're in the car or at dinner, and she'll finish the rest.
• Consistency. I find this to be the hardest part of all, especially if my morning is rushed by a tight schedule. However, if Charity's kept in the memorizing mode, it becomes easier for her to catch on. Once she recognizes it as part of our daily routine, she becomes the one who reminds me: "Mommy? Can we do the 'merry heart is good like medicine' one?"

It's Sunday morning. The alarm clock didn't go off like it was supposed to. Rolling over in bed, you squint at the red digital numbers and start to panic. There's an hour before you need to leave for church. You bolt out of bed, rudely wake your sleeping husband and try to scare him into action by telling him the time. Jumping into the shower, you realise you forgot your change of clothes and holler at your drowsy hubs to bring them over. You skip shaving your legs and conditioning your hair, dry yourself off in a hurry, only to discover that you had forgotten to iron your Sunday blouse. Having just had a baby, this is the only one that fits and is convenient enough for breastfeeding. You sigh as you button it up, promising yourself you'll keep your coat on the whole church service and nobody will notice.

You throw your hair into a quick ponytail. No time for anything fancy today. Running downstairs, you wake up your toddler and are too frustrated to enjoy her chipper morning spirit as she chatters away while you change her diaper. You rummage through her clothes, only to discover that her Sunday dress is still in the laundry room, probably hidden under the rest of the unfolded clothes. A skirt and tights will have to do. The tights have a hole in the toe. Oh well, her shoes will cover it.

Racing upstairs, you plunk her in her seat at the table and dash off to wake the baby, hoping he'll be alert enough for a good feed by the time the rest of you are done breakfast. While changing his diaper and trying to decide what he should wear to church, he has an explosive bowel movement leaving you no choice but to give him a bath. While you frantically wash the poop out of his hair, your husband calls from the kitchen to let you know that the syrup bottle is empty. Cheerios for breakfast on a Sunday. Again.

Placing baby in his bouncy chair, you wolf down your Cheerios, bouncing baby's seat with one foot, and feeding your toddler, who is highly distracted by the shadows the sun is helping to make on the dining room wall, with your empty hand. As soon as you're done your cereal, you ask (tell) your husband to take over feeding your toddler while you nurse your wailing baby in the messy living room you were too tired to clean up the night before. Trying to be as holy as possible considering the time, the rest of family gathers in the living room for devotions, where you pick the shortest Psalm and mumble a 20-second prayer so you can say you've done your duty.

After cutting baby's nursing session short, you lay him down on the floor, throw on your new white coat, and buckle your newborn into his seat. You had forgotten to burp him and he hurls all over the front of your new coat. No time to change. You pass the infant seat to your husband to place in the car while you hunt for your toddler's missing shoe. Where did she put it?! Already running three minutes late on the week your husband needs to hand out bulletins, you decided it's okay if she wears her rubber boots to church just this once.

Finally, you're all in the car and you race off to church. As your toddler begs you to sing "Twinkle, Twinkle" for the hundredth time, you scream "Shut up! We're going to worship!" The gas light comes on. Hubby assures you that even though you might be running on fumes, you'll probably make it back. And if not all the way back, at least you'll be stranded on a major highway where lots of other church folk will be passing by and will surely stop to help. Just as you remember you left the tithing cheque and diaper bags in the front entrance, you see cherries flashing in the rear view mirror and hear a siren wailing in your ear. Busted.

Have you ever had a Sunday morning like this? We haven't had one quite that bad, but pretty close. Even though we need to leave by 8:45am to be at church in good time, I've found there are several things I can do to make it fairly relaxing and peaceful for everyone. A good morning starts the evening before. Here's some things I try to make a habit of doing so that Sundays truly are a day of rest and I'm not running around like chicken with my head cut off or barking out orders like a drill sargent:

Things to do Saturday morning:

• Decide what you'll be eating for each meal on Sunday. Make as much as you can ahead of time and slot in a trip to the grocery store if necessary.
• Check to make sure all the Sunday outfits are washed and ironed. A good way to avoid ironing, is to pull out your clothes from the dryer as soon as it finishes and hang them neatly in your closet.
• Make a trip to the gas station and top up the tank.

• Pack diaper bags. Include at least one extra outfit, three diapers, and wipes. Charity's bad also includes a cookie or two and a drink for in the baby-sit. Judah's bag is the bigger of the two as it also holds my nursing cover, extra nursing pads, a spit-up rag, and another shirt for me-just in case.
• Lay out each person's complete outfit in where they normally get dressed. For us this means a onesie, dress shirt, socks, pants, coat and hat on top of Judah's dresser; an undershirt, tights, a dress, shoes, and coat on Charity's; a suit, dress shirt and tie on the bathroom counter for Brad to change into after his shower; and my skirt, a button up blouse, camisole, and head covering beside my bed.
• Set the table for breakfast. If you're worried about flies pooping in your bowl or glass overnight, turn them upside down. We usually have waffles with Maple syrup, and orange juice on Sunday mornings which means three place settings including forks, knives, plates, and glasses. I also lay out Charity's bib and put two capsules of fenugreek next to my glass.
• Shower. I've realized I don't have to have a shower Sunday morning. It saves a lot of valuable time and is a great way to wind down by taking it Saturday evening before bed. After my shower, I usually lay out my earrings, and hair accessories on the bathroom counter so I don't have to hunt for them the next morning.
• Tidy the house. It's not the most wonderful thing to be doing on a Saturday night, but waking up to a tidy house is so much more relaxing for everyone! Set the timer for 10 minutes and you'll be surprised to how much you can accomplish. You'll be glad you picked up the toys even though you didn't feel like it.
• Put anything you can into the car. Diaper bags, purse, tithing cheque. The more that's already in the car, the less you'll forget. And you'll save yourself a bundle of time.
• Place all the footwear by the door. Make sure there's two of each. Unless of course, you happen to be missing a leg.

• This is the order that works best for us in this season of life: wake up, do my hair, get kids dressed and Charity's hair done while Brad showers, have breakfast, family devotions, nurse Judah while Brad clears the table and gets Charity's coat and shoes on, get myself dressed, put Judah's coat on, out the door.
• Get the kids dressed as soon as you take them out of bed. This saves having to go back into their rooms after having breakfast. If you're worried about them spilling on their clothes, invest in some good quality bibs and help the younger ones eat if necessary.
• If you're nursing, dress yourself after baby's done his feed, burped, and in his car seat to save having to put together another outfit. You can get dressed in 4 seconds flat. I've done it.
• Your husband wants to help. He might just need you to ask him what to do. Ask kindly and specifically instead of using body gestures and indirect commands. (i.e. Ask, "Honey, could you please put Charity's coat on?", instead of huffing loudly, "Charity's coat still needs to be put on and I've still got to get dressed, and I can't find Judah's soother!")
• Give your hubby a really good kiss on the way out the door. No matter how rushed the morning was, this will erase any memory of it. :-)

One of the questions people often ask me is, "how do you come up with fresh content every day?"

To many people, the thought of coming up with something new or different every single day is overwhelming. I've had a lot of people ask, "what's going to happen when you run out of content?"

I'll tell you right now... coming up with fresh content every day is easy, if you keep your thoughts organized and easily accessible.

Every time I have an idea, or I find myself laughing about something noteworthy, or I have a life observation, I hurry and add it to a list in my phone or iPad (which sync together). I have different lists for Single Dad Laughing and Will Work 4 Followers.
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It's a well known fact that a child's ability to remember things is second to none. The capacity to soak up their influences is the motivating factor behind our government's resolve to get them into the classroom at an increasingly young age. Once they're out from underneath their parent's control, the state has a no-holds-barred approach to indoctrinating our children with immorality and socialistic propaganda. This explains why the 4-year-olds in our province are going to school and being taught to question their gender, and why books like Heather has Two Mommies is perfectly acceptable story-time material.

It wouldn't be so bad if it was truth and righteousness our government was so concerned about instilling into our children. But then, if it was really God's Word the government looked to as their moral compass, they probably wouldn't be so quick to snatch the future of the nation away from their parents as soon as possible. Proverbs 22:6 was written to Dads and Moms; it is our duty to train up our children in the way that they should go, not the state's.

This reason, coupled with the desire to see our children's salvation and a life-time of blessing from the Lord, ought to make Scripture memorization and biblical instruction fundamental to the everyday life of a Christian family (Psalm 119: 9-11; Deuteronomy 6: 6,7; 1 Peter 3:15). If our children learn to abide by God's principles and commandments concerning marriage, economics, and life in general, they will become the leaders in a society that is craving for morality, prosperity, and stability.

What we think are the basics of life (i.e. arriving to a job on time and sober) are becoming extinct in a culture that's lost its way. This give a distinct advantage to the child who has learned to abide by God's formula for a happy and peaceful life:

"Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful, but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law he meditates, day and night." Psalm 1:1,2"He who heeds the Word wisely will find good, and whoever trusts in the Lord, happy is he." Proverbs 16:20"... His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who has called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." 2 Peter 1: 3,4If we want to give our children a good life, we must give them God's Word. It is the key to salvation and the pattern for success. No amount of toys, allowance money, clothes, or candy can produce righteousness or an outstanding member of society. We cannot save our children; that is an act of God's grace alone. But we can hide God's Word in their hearts and take comfort in knowing that it will never return to Him void (Isaiah 55:11).

Beer Bros' bustling brewpub hosts a five-course wild game dinner on May 18. Wildlife writer/photographer Duane Radford will join diners as research for an article on the joys of pairing food with beer... a tough job but somebody has to do it.

Tickets are $55 plus taxes and tip. Dinner gets underway at 7 p.m.

Kudos to Beer Bros for yet another unique concept.

I could just cry. My newest post disappeared in all the blogger madness. Friday the 13th... go figure!! So for those that left me comments thank you! I really appreciated them. Did any of you lose posts also?
Well here goes again...
I wanted to share some of my dream sofas with you. There are LOTS of pictures because I have LOTS of favorite sofas and these barely scratch the surface. Won't you join me for a minute (or ten *winks*) and dream along with me?
Warning in advance... I don't like much that's shiny bright. I really prefer a time worn well loved patina. So if modern and sleek is your thing? This isn't for you... Just sayin'
OK let me start with this piece of deliciousness! Part chaise part sofa. Can't you imagine this with some large down aubusson pillows? I think I could lounge here all day! Maybe I could get my hubby to feed me some grapes? LOL!

This is my own living room sofa and I really do love it. It has its original silk upholstery from the 1920's and the cushions are pure down. It looks great until you sit on it and then it looks a flat mess.

I'd trade it in a red hot minute for this one from Rubylane (11k on sale HERE) *gulps and *drools*... Not a pretty sight! LOL! Me not the sofa!

Or this wonderful corbeille style. Corbeille translates to basket in French.

Isn't this one gorgeous?

This one has room for lots of friends!

I love the grand decay of this one

I really love high backed sofas and the enclosed safe feeling they provide. One of the sofa styles that lends itself to this wonderfully is the knole sofa or settee. The knole dates from 17th century England as is named for Knole House in Kent. It was originally used as a type of throne. Both the sides and back are equal in height and each end is tied on the top with ropes which fold down to create a lounge of sorts. Honestly I'm not sure what this is all about? But it is cool don'tcha think?

Many years ago I fell in love with the knole sofa in Rose Tarlow's living room. It had the perfect patina. Just the right amount of wear and tear and it didn't hurt that it was chinoiserie in style either *winks*

Weeeellll eventually Ms. Tarlow decided to let it go and it turned up on 1st dibbs. Alas it was not to be in my home because at 13k (If I remember correctly) it wasn't in my price point *sighs* Isn't it fab? Maybe a little too shabby for some, but I LOVE it!!

This one would make a nice alternative.

I love the antique 17th century tapestry on this one.

This is a set of knole sofas in Sidney Poitier's living room. Just gorgeous!

And this one in pink is adorable!

I finally managed after years of searching to find my own lil' pink knole sofa. It's from the 1920's and also has down filled cushions. I found it in a local antique store for $300. I'm thinking of adding some fringe to the bottom. Do you think I should? This one is a keeper!

Here's where it ties at the top.

And changing direction a little I'm also wild for french daybeds! Are you? I immediately fell in love with this smooshy wooshy perfect daybed that belongs to Joni's (Cote de Texas) sister in law's sister (Did you catch that? LOL!) I don't usually love blue but I'd redecorate my entire living room for this one!

Love this Louis XVI style.

And this one.Those little bolster pillows make me weak in the knees every time!

And I also love this Louis XV style...

This is my own antique Louis XV daybed. I purchased it without really thinking about where it might go in my house? I had visions of lounging upon it in front of a sunny window with a good book. Usually this devil may care strategy works for me but not this time *sighs* There just isn't room (Or enough sunny windows!) So off to etsy it will go. An expensive mistake.

Hand carved details.

I found this similar one in gray at the Paris Apartment Boutique that I love!

I'm also mad for the smaller corbeille settees! Each one wraps itself around you like a nice hug!

Tatty but darling.

Beautiful in aubusson.

Lovely in salmon.

Luscious in silk.

I'll just have to be happy for now with my little $60ish funky green velvet settee (in my home gym) from craigslist. At least until that money tree in my backyard starts to grow. *winks*

I'm also crazy for the English chesterfield. This one is my dream come true! Perfectly aged and worn leather from the 19th century.

And this one is mine. In this delusion *winks* I had an English library with a roaring fire and floor to ceiling leather books... But again in reality not the space *sighs* And the scale was all wrong for what I actually DO have. So off to craigslist it goes.

And yet another dream piece run amok. I love this french iron crib/daybed! Don't the textiles just make it in this shot?

And my own very similar iron daybed. I bought it as an outdoor sofa for my side deck but it really isn't sturdy enough for multiple people to sit on. Especially in my family where some people tend to be + sized *winks* So off to etsy it goes.

So some of the dream pieces I've managed to aquire turned out to be lifelong keepers and others not quite so dreamy after all. Have you experienced this? Longing for a certain piece for years and years only to find that the reality didn't meet your expectations? Or surpassed them? I'd love to hear your stories! Meanwhile I'm going to keep on dreaming... You never know what you'll find at the next garage sale *winks* Vanna
I'm joining my friend Courtney at French Country Cottage for:

And Cindy at My Romantic Home for:

Sherry at No Minimalist Here for:

Jill at The French Country Cupboard for:

And my dear friend Laurie at Bargain Hunting And Chatting With Laurie for:

Time once again for Flea Market Finds. Yippee Skippy!!
OK so it actually wasn't a very exciting week for the finds. I wish I had something fantabulous to share, but I'm going to have to settle for some "pretty good"
Also if you haven't entered my followers giveaway HERE there's still a week left. So leave me a comment and I might send ya some loot! *winks*

I'm going to start with one of my favorites for the week. A sweet cement angel for $23. The grotto was an earlier find for $65 (If I remember correctly?) at an antique store. And the rose sheet in the background is part of a full set for $3.99 at the Goodwill. It turned out to be a week for linens. It's funny how a different theme seems to appear each week.

Here's a grouping of some of the finds together. The two shabby chippy aqua column bases were $20 for the set. The glass table piece was a free dumpster pick up. Pink vintage tablecloth $3.99 at the Goodwill. Cement lady statue was an earlier find purchased from a friend for $25. The yellow and rose curtains that you see in the background will be going to my new (coming soon) etsy shop. Yes I too will be going the way of etsy. I'll give everybody a heads up when it's ready to go. I promise you my prices will be GOOD *winks*

Vintage garment bag also going to etsy.

As well as this cute cherub plaque.

This large antique ironstone pitcher was $4.99 at the Value Village. I don't think anybody wanted it because of its discoloration, but I'm going to try the oxy clean soak and see how well it lifts (update to come)

I searched all over the blogosphere for the answer to where I could find one of these wicker cloches? Only to find them at my local Tuesday Morning for $10... YAY!! and while I was there I picked up the cute bottle carrier for $25 as well.

This was my absolute favorite find for the week, an antique majolica flower pot featuring two of my favorite things... cherubs and flower swags for $10 at the Value Village.

Decoupage bottle for $1.99 at the VV. I'm pondering if I should keep it or not? Falls into the "cute but" category. Somebody sure did put a lot of work into this one!

Cute towel with crochet edging for 99 cents at the VV.

A darling rhinestone crown for $4 from a local antique shop. I've been having all sorts of fun trying it on all the different little heads around my house including my pomeranian Jewel... She was NOT amused! LOL!

And lastly this rose clock for $4.50 from a local antique shop.

That's all for this week. I hope you'll come back next week for more flea market finds. And if you've found some treasures yourself (or even if you haven't *winks*) please leave me a comment and I'll come running! *winks* I just love seeing all the other wonderful finds, treasure, and inspiration out there in blogland!
I'm off to play catch up on all the wonderful blog posts I've been missing in the past few days. I feel so behind! So I apologise if I haven't responded to your questions or comments. I'll be getting to them stat! Oh and Happy Cinco de Mayo!! Vanna
I'm joining my friend Sherry at No Minimalist Here for:

My dear friend Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for:

And for the first time Blue Creek Home for:

Jill at French Cupboard for:

And Cindy at My Romantic Home for:

Our 4-year-old daughter has no qualms about being feminine. She does her school in her princess dress, loves stories about princesses, hates wearing pants, wants to get married (to Daddy), diapers and clothes her stuffed dog multiple times a day, and believes green and blue are colors that should be reserved for boys.

Being girly is just so... so natural to girls (most of 'em)! Little girl, who aren't old enough to understand or conform to the most degrading and dehumanizing aspect of our culture: feminism.
I wish there was a way I could preserve my daughter's natural inclination to girly things. How can I raise her to be feminine in a feminist culture? A times, the challenge overwhelms me.
Society, at large, stifles biblical womanhood.. Girls get told it's a "waste of intelligence" to stay at home and raise children. Motherhood is a "mindless" routine that consists of changing diapers and being shackled to the stove. We know it's not a waste of time, but defending our decision seems like a losing battle. After all, there are a lot more of "them" than there are of "us."
In the end, it comes down to who gets to define the terms: neither you nor I. God alone, the Creator of women, wields that kind of authority, and He hasn't left it up to us to play the guessing game with our role or how we should act.

His Word is filled with meaning, instruction, and examples of mothers, wives, daughters, grandmothers, saints, sinners, lovers, nurturers, teachers, peacemakers, artists, and so much more. All we need to know about what makes for blessed society is right at our finger tips.

Still, we somehow believe our culture's vision for "liberating women" is better than the One who created women and came to set them free from their self-induced bondage.

Somehow we find ourselves in an identity crisis that our Bible-believing foremothers did not seem to have.

Somehow our "liberation" in the 21st century has bound us to a cubicle of tormenting doubts about what we are doing as women.
Somehow filing a stack of paperwork in an office is more important than sorting laundry.

Somehow drawing up a spreadsheet requires more creativity than artfully decorating your home.

Somehow teaching 30 kids to read takes more preparation than instructing three children how to live.

Somehow it requires sheer brilliance to manage employees in the corporate office while raising our children to be intelligent, honorable citizens is a demoted to a brainless job.

Somehow, if you get paid for doing one of the thousand jobs a mother does in a day, you can call yourself an expert.
We buckle under the pressure and bashfully admit, "Oh, I'm just a stay-at-home Mom."

We attempt to justify our choice by rambling on about all the other things we do with our "spare time" as though being a mother isn't a real job. "Well, I'm a chef, baker, time management expert, teacher, personal shopper, repairman, financial adviser, writer, etc."

It's time to stop apologizing.
Whether we find life as a woman to be stifling or liberating is ultimately our choice. The paradox of Scripture is that submission brings the greatest freedom and that death brings life. Only when we die to ourselves, our dreams, and our desires, will we find vitality and freedom in pursuing the high calling of biblical womanhood with joy, intelligence, and purpose.

If we get this, if our daughters get this, we can begin fostering femininity back into our feminist world.

After several months of collaborating with ten fellow homeschooling mamas from around America (yes, I'm the lone Canadian contributor to this eBook!) Homeschooling Day By Day, a 40-chapter thriving guide for mothers is finally here!

Homeschooling Day By Day
$4.99 40 Chapters (with Discussion Questions)
PDF Version:

KINDLE version:

If you've ever wished for a homeschooling manual- or better yet, a mentor- you will love Homeschooling Day by Day. It is the spilling over of hearts into words from eleven mothers who, like you, are in the trenches raising and educating their children at home.

Some are at the beginning of our journeys (such as yours truly), three of us are second-generation homeschoolers (also including yours truly!), some have very large families (seven kids or more), and some are homeschooling children with special needs.
All of us are passionate about the opportunity to teach our own children. No one has a teaching degree and yet we all homeschool because we believe the One who has called us to this momentous task is able to provide the wisdom and grace to be able instruct the children He has given us day by day.

Don't buy Homeschooling Day by Day if you want to be told that homeschooling is easy or if you've already got this thing licked.

This book is for homeschooling mamas who struggle, grow weary, wonder if they're doing enough or if they're pushing too hard, worry that they're in over their head, deal with criticism, or desire plenty of practical advice and helpful hints to make this glorious calling worth the life-changing road it's bound to take you down.

Table of Contents:

Part One: The Heart Of Homeschooling

1} The Worst Homeschool Year Ever
2} Debunking Super Mom
3} Homeschooling Heroism
4} How Pride Hurts Homeschoolers
5} Facing The Mirrors
6} Your Greatest Critic
7} Teaching Without Words
8} Embracing The “Want To”
9} The Most Important “R”
10} God's Word: The Heart Of Home Education

Part Two: Challenges Of Homeschooling

11} On Getting It All Done
12} Can I Homeschool For Free?
13} Homeschooling & Dyslexia
14} Homeschooling A Child On The Autism Spectrum
15} Homeschooling The Strong-Willed Child
16} Homeschooling & Working From Home
17} Homeschooling While Working A Full Time Job

Part Three: Seasons Of Homeschooling

18} Balancing Multiple Ages
19} Homeschooling Teenagers
20} Preschoolers: Q&A
21} Obedience Training
22} Seasons Of Survival

Part Four: Homeschooling Foundations

23} Traditional Homeschooling
24} The Classical Method Of Homeschooling
25} The Unit Study Method
26} The Charlotte Mason Method
27} Eclectic Homeschooling
28} Other Homeschooling Methods
29} Learning Styles
30} Covering All The Bases
31} Making Homeschool Fun
32} Six Ways To Simplify Curriculum

Part Five: Tools For Successful Homeschooling
33} Keeping First Things First
34} Steps To Prioritizing
35} Mama's Schedule Fiasco
36} Building A Homeschool Routine That Works For You
37} Menu Planning Helps
38} How To Create Lesson Plans
39} Creating & Working Toward Goals
40} What It All Looks Like In Reality

Homeschooling Day by Day covers the following topics in a down-to-earth style:

• Homeschooling methods

• Learning styles

• Homeschooling children with learning disabilities

• Homeschooling teenagers

• Homeschooling preschoolers

• Managing multiple grade levels

• Dealing with criticism and insecurity

• How to handle bad attitudes and expectations

• Lesson planning

• How to keep up with housework, meals, your marriage and so much more!

Homeschooling Day By Day eBook: $4.99 PDF version

KINDLE version:

It is our prayer that Homeschooling Day by Day will equip, empower, and encourage you to give homeschooling a chance for the very first time or bring fresh vision and refreshment for those who are in the thick of it.

This recipe is a low-fat, absolutely decadent-tasting, cheesecake-like dessert that keeps you full, healthy, and satisfies your sweet tooth! When I first discovered it in Trim Healthy Mama, I said, "Where have you been all my life?!"

I win The Best Mom In The World award when I serve this to the kids for breakfast. They think they're getting dessert!

This recipe comes from Trim Healthy Mama and is reposted with permission fro the authors.
Cottage Berry Whip
Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 5-6
*For THMer's, this is an E, S, or FP.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups (1 container) low-fat cottage cheese
• 2 cups mixed berries
• Truvia or NuNaturals to taste (when I make this for the kids, I use honey as the sweetener)

1777 New England Primer Cursive & Manuscript Printable Alphabet Sets $2.99 each
While preparing for our daughter's first official year of "school," I found myself searching for cursive worksheets and came up empty handed. I decided to create my own and since then, I’ve had dozens of requests from other Moms to compile them into a printable set. What follows is a set of the English alphabet in cursive, combined with rhymes for each letter from the 1777 New England Primer and plenty of dotted lines to aid in practice.

Our goal for our children from the beginning has been to stress the importance of character and personal salvation in their education. Hence, I’ve included 26 Scripture passages to correspond with each letter of the alphabet. These verses, combined with the biblical ditties from the 1777 Primer used by the Puritans help enforce the Gospel message in the tender hearts of our children while they learn to write. A: In Adam's Fall, we sinned all. B: Heaven to find, the Biblemind. C: Christ crucified, for sinners died. The first half of the book includes printables for individual uppercase and lowercase cursive letters. In the second half, the letters are attached to help teach the flowing pattern of cursive script. I recommend printing out the entire book and laminating the pages if you wish to reuse them with an erasable marker.

1777 New England Primer Cursive Printable Set | 64 pages
$2.99

... and here is the Manuscript version, complete with the same 26 Scripture passages to correspond with each letter of the alphabet, biblical ditties from the 1777 Primer used by the Puritans, and plenty of dotted lines for practice!

1777 New England Primer Manuscript Printable Set:
$2.99

What Customers Are Saying About The 1777 New England Alphabet Printables:
"This is beautifully put together- an excellent resource! Thank you for all the work you put into it!" - Sandy Tritt

"I was so happy to see you offer this wonderful resource. My daughter needed extra help in math last school year,by the school giving her the extra help they removed her from her cursive class. We were assured all year they would help her to catch up. It sadly never happened. I have been looking for something that would work with how she learns. This book is perfect! I plan on using it daily until school starts and then working with her on the weekends. Again, Thank you!" - Beautiful House Life

"My 3 yo saw me downloading this and asked, "Mommy is that for me for school?" When I told her yes, she was SO excited and wanted to start NOW... so thank you for making one little girl extremely happy today!!" - Ruthanne McFarlane

"I got a copy and I am so excited! I'm going to print and laminate here in a little bit and then I'm going to take it over to Staples and have it bound so its super easy for my little one to keep together YAY! Cant wait for the manuscript version! Thanks, Jacinda, for all your hard work! I tried to figure something like this out awhile back to save money and I'm just too challenged in that area... what a blessing!" - Sommer Alvarez

"Thanks! I love it! I'm sure my daughter will enjoy learning cursive with these pages." - Andrea C.

A Reader's Cursive Primer all put together!
1 Week of Fall Activities & Printables for Preschoolers

As part of our study on "Fall" this year with our 4 year-old, I created a "package" entitled 1 Week of Fall Activities and Printables for Preschoolers to go along with our theme. It is free to anyone who wishes to use it! If you'd to see how we used these printables in our home, you take a peek into our Fall-themed week here. Print or Download here. Table of Contents Sugar Cookies (to use with cookie cutters) ___pg. 4
Autumn Fires Poetry Memorization___pg. 5
Autumn Treasure Hunt___pg. 6
Leaf Prints with Crayons___pg. 8
Thankful Tree___pg. 9
Painted Pumpkin Faces___pg. 10
Corn Husk Dolls___pg. 11
Apple Twigs___pg. 12
10 Frugal Fall Field Trip Ideas___pg. 13
Fall Reading Suggestions for Preschoolers___pg. 14
If you’re interested in receiving more printables like this in the future, you may wish to subscribe via email, or follow Growing Home for updates via Google Friend Connect, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Google +.

I happened to notice the other day that my little blog has more than 200 followers? Quelle shocker to me! *winks* THANK YOU so much my friends for taking time out of your busy lives to visit here. You're more appreciated than you know. To celebrate this wonderful surprise I'm doing a little giveaway for y'all... YAY!!!
But first Let me start with the very good book. "Timeless Interiors" By Barbara Stoeltie and photographs by Rene Stoeltie. If you're a lover of antiques this is a book filled with drool worthy pictures. There's a variety of styles for everyone.

Lets look inside...

If any of these images appeal to you? You're going to love this book! You can find it for a song HERE. And...

I'm including a slightly worn copy with my thank you goody basket filled with little thrifted finds. If you'd like to have it sent to your home *winks* all you have to do is become a follower (If you aren't already) And leave me a comment on this post. I'll be picking a winner in the next two weeks. Here are some pictures of the bounty *winks*

An ironstone pitcher with a pale blue cast and a couple of little crowns as well as a cute egg shaped trinket jar filled with candies... Yummmmm!

A little goodie bag filled with vintage embroidery yarn in pretty pastel colors with pink thread and tape.

Palest pink lace trim and a vintage plastic rose and buttons.

A small floral cosmetic bag and blank journal, and in the background a black english metal tea tray loaded with beautiful roses.

A piece of vintage fabric perfect for a pillow or dresser scarf, and a table runner with croched lace on both ends, but only one end with tassels.

Close up on the tasseled end.

A sweet little robins egg blue display shelf perfect for a small collection of salt and pepper shakers... maybe?

All placed in this really cool old gray blue basket

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you'll leave me a comment and join in my little giveaway. And thank you again for being my blogging friends! I LOVE you guys! Vanna
I'm joining the House Of Grace for the first time for:

And Kim at Savy Southern Style for:

My dear friend Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for:

Does your house ever become a pig-sty? Maybe you prefer the term warzone or pit.
It’s okay. It happens to even the biggest neat freaks sometimes. You get sick, busy, have a baby, or maybe you just take the week off from housework. You turn around and the next thing you know you discover a fossilized piece of pizza in a couch cushion.

There will be times when your house simply just gets out of control. Here’s how to get it back to normal again without going insane.

Unless you’re feeling very industrious (or have help) give yourself at least a week to get a very messy house clean. Could you completely clean an entire house in less than a week? Probably, but this game plan takes errands, small children, and life in general into account. Very few of us can get 12 hours of uninterrupted cleaning, so spreading out massive cleaning over a week only makes sense.

If, however, you get a call from your mother-in-law saying she’ll be stopping by in an hour all bets are off, it’s time to start shoving clothes, toys, and dirty dishes in the closets. Just make sure you don’t accidentally push a child in one in your mad-dash cleaning spree.

From Pigsty to Palace In One Week: The Game Plan

Before You Start

* Buy all the trash bags, cleaners, and all the paper towels that you will need. Also consider buying paper plates, and utensils for the week. The environment will forgive you. It’s just for one week.

* Plan simple meals for the week that are easy to clean up.

Day One

* Do all dishes and put them away.

* Clean kitchen counters.

* Take a trash bag and donation box around to each room get rid of as much stuff as possible. This will infinitely speed up cleaning this week.

* Take a box for misplaced items around to each room, and fill it with any odds and ends that are out of place. Tomorrow you’ll begin putting things from this box away.

Day Two

* Put away all misplaced items in their proper places.

* Pick up and put away all stray clothes in your home

* Clean your bathrooms

Day Three

* De-clutter your dining room, living room, and kitchen. Make sure everything is in its proper place in these rooms.

* Organize these spaces as needed.

Day Four

* De-clutter the bedrooms and family room. Make sure everything is in its proper place in these rooms as well.

* Organize these spaces as needed.

Day Five

* Catch up on laundry.

* Put away all clean clothes.

* Vacuum and sweep the entire house.

Day Six

* Clean the windows and dust.

* Wipe the walls as needed.

* Wipe down all kitchen appliances

* Properly file or shred paper work and mail.

Day Seven

* Maintain everything you’ve cleaned, then:

* Rest.

Bonus Jobs If You Should Happen To Have Extra Time

* Clean out the refrigerator

* Clean out and vacuum your vehicle

* Clean up your desk area or office

* Store out of season clothes Want a deeper clean? I highly recommend Sarah Mae’s 31 Days to Clean.

What are your best cleaning tips? Let us know in the comments!

KM Logan is a wife, mother, teacher, and Amazon best-selling author. She is wholly inadequate but strengthened by the Lord. She’d be tickled pink if you stopped by her blog and said hi.

***This post contains affiliate links

Hi ya peeps!! Sorry I haven't been around for the last week. I thought I had the flu. I did get a flu shot so I thought maybe it was a new strain? I felt constantly nauseous. After a trip to the doc it turned out to be an inner ear infection caused by allergies! Has anyone else had that happen? It's sure a first for me *sighs*
BUT on to my other difficulties... I've been "trying" to refresh the mantel in my family room. It's never quite looked right to me (it's fine just doesn't quite capture "wow" kwim?) and truthfully after about 2 hrs of moving things around it still doesn't. Sooooo I'd really love your opinions. I have lots of things to work with just can't quite get it right. I think mantels are one of the most difficult things to accessorize. Kind of like perfectly crimped and cooked pie crust... Looks so simple but to get it just right can be tricky Anyhoo I've got three examples to show you and I'd love to hear what you think? Please tell me what you'd do (or do differently?)

Here is how it currently sits. Somehow if I add more to it, it ends up looking junky and too busy.

Here's another option using more stuff.

And here's the busiest variation IMO.

OK so based on a combination of the comments I've received thus far, I've come up with this. I've tried to balance the elements and keep some bling too *winks* Do you like this one any better?

And a full fireplace shot.

What I FINALLY ended up with (for now at least because I'm tired! Those busts are HEAVY!!) Is this variation based on all the great opinions you gave me. Thank you so much for sharing your ideas. They really did help me figure this out. Love you guys!

Full shot

So busy or minimalist? To bling or not to bling? Which if any appeal to you? I'd sure love to hear what you think.*winks* Does anyone else struggle with their mantelscapes? Vanna
I'm joining up with my dear friend Marty at a Stroll Thru Life for:

Who would've thought there'd come a time in my life where I'd wonder where my next breath would come from when I'd be able to squeeze in my next shower? Not me! But here I am with 3 kids in three years, wondering some days when I'm going to find the time to do things I used to take for granted.

"When do I take a shower?" If Brad is home, then I have it after the oldest two have gone to bed while he watches our newborn, Anna. If I'm away in the evening, then I attempt to have one before the kids wake up in the morning. If that doesn't work out, then I wait until Anna's morning nap - place her in the bassinet, Judah (2) in his crib or a playpen with several toys to keep him occupied, and trust our 3-year-old to keep herself occupied and out of trouble. So far, so good (famous last words)! Worst case scenario, I look like a slime ball when someone unexpectedly pops in for a visit.

"When do I have my devotions?" My friend Anna, from Feminine Adventures, covered this question in beautiful detail. Go and read her post if you haven't already!

I try to have them while I'm nursing in the early morning or late evening. It never hurts to involve the kids either should they wake up earlier than expected. If I'm not too sleepy, I go through my prayer list when I'm nursing in the middle of the night.

"When do I make supper?" Raise your hand if 5 o'clock seems to be the most hectic time of the day. Okay, you can put it down now. Someone is guaranteed to be nursing, crying, needing to use the potty, discovering (and spilling) things in the pantry (like flour) while the rest of the house sits in disarray. Plus, the kiddlets are starting to get cranky from hungry tummies and you're expecting your husband home from work any minute.

This is why I try to make dinner first thing in the morning. I love using the recipes from Trim Healthy Mama (you can read my entire review here). They are easy, healthy, whole-food dishes that can be prepared quickly and made ahead of time. That way, even if the rest of the day is chaotic, there will still be a nutritious meal on the table, and hopefully, an atmosphere of relative peace and calm for my husband to come home too. He deserves it after a long day at work!

"When do I clean my house?" I used to reserve one day a week to do all the major housework like cleaning the bathrooms, scrubbing floors, vacuuming, and dusting, etc. Now with 3 kids, 3 and under, I spread it over two days.

The biggest jobs I try to finish on Thursdays, leaving Friday and Saturday morning to wrap it all up. Brad has Saturday afternoons off from work and we like to spend it relaxing with the kids, visiting our grandparents, or having friends over.

"When do I fit in exercise?" Normally I like to take a brisk 1/2 hour walk in the early evening after the kids have gone to bed while Brad stays home with Anna. We've been having so much rain lately though, that I've resorted to torturing myself with Jillian Michael's 6-week six pack during the first 35 minutes of the kids afternoon nap time.

I've joined the Redeemed Health and Fitness Facebook group for accountability purposes and encouragement. All the ladies in this group are mothers (most with larger than average families) who are seeking to shed unwanted pounds on a tight schedule. We share our highs and lows, praise each lost pound, steal each other's great ideas, and kept accountable with a daily check-in.
"When do I nap?" HA HA HA HA HA! Good one.

***For further reading, I recommendLarge Family Logistics: my favorite resource for learning how to build household routines within a larger-than-average families. Brad bought me this book for my birthday a few years ago, and I've been giving it out as gifts to other young moms ever since then. It's filled with step-by-step procedures, organizational advice, and a myriad of tips for efficiently managing a home in a way that honors God and builds up family relationships.

In the interest of full disclosure, some of the links in this post are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I receive an affiliate commission. I only recommend products I use personally. Your purchases through these links help support Growing Home. I humbly thank you for your support! Linking to: Raising Homemakers, Deep Roots At Home, Modest Monday, A Mama's Story, Raising Arrows, Homestead Revival, Time Warp Wife, Far Above Rubies